Australian High Court halts sensitive book

ByWITH ANALYSIS FROM MONITOR CORRESPONDENTS AROUND THE WORLDEDITED BY RANDY SHIPPDecember 2, 1980

Canberra
— The Australian government won a High Court judgment stopping publication of a book containing secret documents on defense and foreign policy. The judge said publication would breach government copyright.

The judgment followed a four-day hearing last month when the government applied for injunctions to stop publication or distribution of the book or newspaper excerpts. The government argued that publication of the book, "Documents on Australian Defense and Foreign Policy 1968-75," would damage national security and harm relations with other countries.